More Black Belt Stitching Wizard Stuff

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

There has been an awful lot of chatter about travelling patterns on my blog lately. Today's entry is about a different kind of travelling pattern... one that is going on the road with me!

By the time you're reading this I'm working my way through security and customs at the airport, I'm on my way to the Charleston, S.C. area!

I'm excited not only to see my BFF from high school, Claire but the new man in her life, Zachary! The little man I stitched up Teresa Wentzler's Birth Announcement for.

I've decided while I travel this summer (I have more than one trip planned), I'm going to work on just one project. Last summer I worked on Ink Cirlces Cirque des Circles so this summer its going to be Cirque des Coeurs. One colour projects are just so much easier while on the plane or in the car. I made a small start on it back in February when I was flying to the DR and haven't touched it since. We'll see how far I get on this first trip... I've got a lot of stitching time, as I'm going to be stuck at the airport in Detroit for over 5 hours! When I booked my flight, initially I had a barely 2 hour layover but Delta decided to change my departure time from 9:30am to 7:00am and since this is not a domestic flight, I need to be at the airport 2 hours early, which means 5:00am! I've got to get up at stupid, dark, o'clock since the airport isn't right around the corner!

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

This is a long awaited Happy Dance! Every New Year's Day a group of my "local" (Eastern Ontario) stitching friends and I start a new project and its always a stitch-a-long. Sometimes its a paticular chart, sometimes a specific designer, and every now and then a theme. We have a get together every Labour Day long weekend at Kathy's and this is where we discuss/decide/dictate what the SAL piece is going to be on New Year's Day.

Stitching Row

c2010 Bent Creek

Stitched on: 28ct Moon Princess Jubilee

Stitched with: GAST, Carrie's Creations, WDW, and Kreinik

On January 1, 2014 many of the members of the "Travelling Stitcherhood" as we have dubbed ourselves started Bent Creek's Stitching Row. I of course then got wrapped up in other projects and ignored it until this past weekend where I managed to finish it very quickly!

I just love this piece and I had so much fun picking custom colours for this one as Bent Creek's version was just so ... ahem... my apologies... dull!

I of course needed to bling it up and the swirls were perfect for that! I also love the touch of Krenik I used to sew on the button for the letter "O".

There's so many great little stitching details on this piece, from skeins of floss, needle and thread, and a lovely pair of scissors with a cute strawberry fob. I also stitched the letter "D" in a different colour from the most of the letters for my first name "Danielle"

If you're thinking about stitching this piece, pull out the chart, don't be afraid to play with your stash of threads and be creative! Though everyone accuses me of being a fast stitcher it is a great quick stitch! When framed this is going to look great on my wall of stitching related pieces!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Remember this great finish from last week? Little House Needleworks Summer Garden, which is a travelling pattern!

Its Monday and it was time to pick the next stitcher. Many thanks to my friends at random.org, that choice was made! The next blogging stitcher is: Sally of Stitchyangel's Treasures! I know this chart is sooo Sally's style as I've been reading her blog for a few years now. I'm very happy to be sending it off to her! This chart that came from France will be making its way back across the pond shortly this time to England!

A few days ago I finished up the other travelling pattern that I had in my possession! This one came from Mouse in England!

Friends are Like Angels

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on: 28ct Dried Thyme Joblean

Stitched with : GAST and NPI, Mill Hill Beads

This one was a joy to stitch! Though I love complicated designs, I enjoy the colourful, fun designs from Lizzie*Kate as well! I used a combination of the threads called for, and when I didn't have them I subbed from my stash.

So this travelling pattern is now ready to move on!!! Leave a comment here stating that you'd like to be the next stitcher and I'll randomly select someone to be the next stitcher! The only thing is you must be an active blogger, and that if your e-mail account isn't linked to your Blogger profile please leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. The deadline to throw your name in the hat is Tuesday July 29th. I'll be posting the winner on my return from Charleston on Wednesday July 30th!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

I've seen a lot of discussion lately primarily on Facebook about French Knots and how they are the Devil. Actually just how difficult they are, that they're never consistent, flop around or pull right through your fabric. Many, many, many years ago (like 2001 or so) I took a class from Jennifer Aikman-Smith of Dragon Dreams and she taught us how to make Colonial Knots. Since then I've never looked back!

I know some of you out there have actually mastered the French Knot and I envy you and you're a stitching Goddess (God). For the rest of us, this knot is just easier. I do sometimes replace with beads cause that bit of bling is nice... but some designs just call for the rustic look of a knot.

I found out about this video (thanks Bonnie) by Jennifer teaching this technique and I wanted to share it with you. If you have trouble with French Knots check this out. Or ask your stitching friends, at your LNS or other stitchers. I know someone out there will be more than happy to sit down with you and teach you. I've done it many times over the years! I once even sat down and taught Teresa Wentzler, the Queen of Blended Threads (and quarter stitches)!

Here's a closeup of the Colonial Knots I did on my latest Happy Dance, Summer Garden.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

This afternoon I put the final stitches in Summer Garden, a travelling pattern I received in the spring from Valerie.

Summer Garden

Little House Needleworks

Stitched on 40ct Tanzanite Linen with Crescent Colours

This piece proved to be quite a slog for me, as I previously mentioned Little House Needleworks is not my usual cup of tea. I'm not sure if it was Karma getting back at me for putting down designs like this. If you've followed me over my many years of blogging you know that the more complicated the piece is the happier I am! Needless to say I had to frog half of the border and until I actually got to the flowers this piece was just a chore!

One thing that did surprise me was this one little group of flowers! To me they look like dadelions that have gone all fluffy! I've done some searching online, and no one seems to have put those little knots in that I did. They were dots on the charts, but no instructions so I decided to put in some colonial knots. I think this was my favorite part of the chart.

So this travelling pattern is now ready to move on!!! Leave a comment here and I'll randomly select someone to be the next stitcher! The only thing is you must be an active blogger, and that if your e-mail account isn't linked to your Blogger profile please leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. The deadline to throw your name in the hat is Monday July 21st, I'd like to get it out in the mail before I head to Charleston, S.C. on the 23rd!

A few weeks ago in the mail I received another travelling pattern, this time from Mouse! As you can see from the back of the envelope there was no secret who this was from if you read her blog, she always tells you the kettle is on and its time to settle in for a cuppa. She was so kind to include a skein of floss called Steaming Needles which was so appropriate because I had just finished Birth Announcement!

This sweet Lizzie*Kate will be a quick stitch, and here's my floss toss. A few of the colours the chart called for I had on hand, some others I improvised with from my stash. Keep an eye out this chart will be moving on soon!

Sunday, July 06, 2014

Quite some time ago I'm embarrassed to say I was the next person chosen for a travelling pattern. I received it shortly before I started TW's Birth Announcement, I should of started it when it hit my doorstep... but I didn't. Once I started Birth Announcement I had a serious case of tunnel vision. No other project would do!

So finally I've started Little House Needleworks which I received as a travelling pattern from Valerie in France. Keep an eye on this space over the next little while because once I'm done you might be the next lucky stitcher!

Here's my floss toss before I started it last week. I'm stitching it one strand over two on 40ct tanzanite linen. I was able to pick up all of the floss colours sometime ago at Stitcher's Garden in the Syracuse, N.Y. area except for Crescent Colours Clay Pot... I just picked a nice bright red out of my stash to replace it, GAST Buckeye Scarlet.

As you can see I've not managed to get too far on it. I've been exhausted this week so I've not been able to do hour upon hour of stitching in the evening and this weekend was busy with a day out fishing with Todd on his new bass boat. Today I spent the day with Tracey doing some puttering around town and lunch out before she heads East for the summer.

Todd's dream came true this year with the boat (almost) of his dreams (the dream boat wouldn't fit in the garage)

Ready for a day out on the water!

The fishing was slow, and Todd was the only one catching the few fish that we did get

When I got bored of not catching any fish, I pulled out a little stitching!

A little visitor

The end of a wonderful day on the water (despite the poor fishing)

In a few more weeks I'll be starting my summer travels, and I can't wait! I'll be travelling down to the Charleston S.C. area to visit with Claire and wee Zachary the last week of this month. Then I'll be following Tracey out East again. Though I'll be going back to the same places I went to last summer, I can't wait to go!

I'm also looking forward to my travels next year as well! Yes I've already got stuff booked! Of course I'll be going back to the Dominican Republic for my 6th year in February with 15 new students. I'm also very excited that I've booked my flight to Yuma, Arizona for March Break! I'll be spending a wonderful sunny week with Kathy, my very special friend! I'm hoping there will be a road trip to the Attic for a little stash shopping!

I'm going to be spending far too much time on planes in the next year but I'll love it in the end!!!

Thursday, July 03, 2014

As you know I Happy Danced TW's Birth Announcement on Tuesday evening! I was too excited to take proper pictures and do a proper blog entry. Also we were heading out shortly to have a BBQ with friends. So you got a bunch of iPhone pictures and a post thrown together on the Blogger App. Not pretty, but it got the job done!

Finally I took the time to take some PROPER pictures with my REAL camera. Enjoy!!!!

Birth Announcement

The Best of Teresa Wentzler Sampler Collection

c2001 Leisure Arts

Stitched on 28ct Ivory Jubilee

Stitched with DMC cotton, Kreinik BF & Mill Hill beads

Hopefully I'll be doing more "proper" blogging now that this project is off of my plate!

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

Almost 13 weeks to the day later I have finished Teresa Wentzler's Birth Announcement for Zachary, my friend Claire's first child. This wee guy who I'm looking forward to meeting the last week of July (I'll be in the Charleston area) is VERY special! So he deserves the most labour intensive birth sampler out there!!!!

These are just quick iPhone pictures. I'll wow you with some high quality pictures tomorrow!!!!